ISLAMABAD - The government said that steps had been taken to ensure smooth availability of seeds during the Kharif season 2019-20 and surplus seeds of all major crops including rice (paddy), maize, cotton, pulses and vegetable would be available. The steps are aimed to ensure the maximum per acre output to enhance farmers income during the period under review.
During the current sowing season about 50,192 metric tonnes of rice seeds would be available for cultivation, besides 2,757, metric tons of imported seeds which are comprised of 121.28 percent of total requirements to achieve maximum per acre output during the season, said an official in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. He said that during current season, about 50,192 metric tonnes of paddy seeds would be available for cultivation across the crop growing areas in the country as against its total requirements of 41, 385 metric tonnes.
He said that during Kharif season Punjab would have 174.83 percent of the seed as compared the requirements and about 41,975 metric tonnes of the seed would be available for sowing, where as in Sindh 5,290 metric tonnes of rice seeds would be available which is comprised of 39.74 percent of the requirements and in Balochistan it was estimated at 170 metric tons making the 5.62 percent of its demand. Around 112.83 percent quality seed of maize crop would be available during the season as the total requirements during Kharif 2019-20 was recorded at 32,599 metric tons including 7,799 metric tons of imported seed as compared the total local demands of 28,892 metric tons, he said adding that the maize seed availability, during the last year was recorded at 32,599 metric tons which was 98 percent of the total demand.
50,192mt paddy seed will be available in Kharif season across the country
Meanwhile, he said that availability of maize seed in Punjab would be at 24,567 metric tons, which was comprising on 144.77 percent of province demand, besides maize seeds in Khyber Pakhunkhwa would be at 234 metric tons comprising the 1.99 percent of the total demand of the province, adding that testing was in progress to meet the full demand. The official said that government was focusing to promote pulses production and oil seed in the country to reduce the reliance on the imported commodities, adding that it was taking steps to ensure smooth supply of seeds and other inputs for the promotions of these crops during the season and encourage the farmers to bring more areas under these crops. He said that about 1,401 metric tons of mung bean seeds which would be comprising 32 percent of the total requirement of the season, adding that public and private sector seed agencies of the Punjab have procured 1,261 metric tons of mung seed fulfilling about 32.35 percent of its requirement, where as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has 140 metric tons which was 62.25 percent of the total requirements of the province.
